Twin countershaft transmission and improved power take-off arrangement therefor

A change gear device of the type comprising a housing, an input shaft, an output means, first and second spaced countershafts having generally parallel axes and mounted for rotation relative to said housing;

• first and second gears mounted on said first and second countershafts, respectively, said gears being substantially identical;
• means for transmitting substantially one-half of input torque from said input shaft to each of said countershafts;
• said means including said first and second gears mounted on said countershafts;
• clutch means for selectively establishing a simultaneous driving relationship from each of said first and second countershafts through one of said first and second gears to said output means;
• first and second fluid displacement means, defining first and second outlet chambers, respectively, said first and second fluid displacement means including first and second rotatable pumping elements, respectively, and first and second means operable to transmit rotary motion from said first and second countershafts, respectively, to said first and second pumping elements, respectively;
• and means defining first and second fluid passage means communicating pressurized fluid from said first and second outlet chambers, respectively, to an outlet port;
• said housing means including a rearward wall, and said first and second fluid displacement mechanisms comprising housing means defining first and second pumping chambers adapted to receive said first and second rotatable pumping elements, respectively, said housing means being attached to a rearward side of said rearward wall.

A system operable to transmit power from a vehicle engine, through a change gear device, to an auxiliary device external to, and independent of the change gear device, wherein the change gear device is of the type comprising a housing, an input shaft adapted to receive input power from the vehicle engine, an output means, first and second spaced countershafts having generally parallel axes and mounted for rotation relative to said housing;

• first and second gears mounted on said first and second countershafts, respectively, said gears being substantially identical;
• means for transmitting substantially one-half of input torque from said input shaft to each of said countershafts, said means including said first and second gears mounted on said countershafts;
• clutch means for selectively establishing a simultaneous driving relationship from each of said first and second countershafts through one of said first and second gears to said output means;
• first and second fluid displacement means, defining first and second outlet chambers, respectively, said first and second fluid displacement means including first and second rotatable pumping elements, respectively, and first and second means operable to transmit rotary motion from said first and second countershafts, respectively, to said first and second pumping elements, respectively;
• and means defining first and second fluid passage means communicating pressurized fluid from said first and second outlet chambers, respectively, to an outlet port in fluid communication with the auxiliary device.